Toronto will host the 2017 D-League Showcase, according to a report from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
The details are still being finalized, but “barring an unlikely late snag,” the annual tournament will be held in suburban Toronto. The Hersey Centre, home of the Toronto Raptors’ D-League affiliate, Raptors 905, seems a likely choice, as the area could support multiple games at a time, if need be.
The Showcase is an annual in-season tournament that takes place immediately before NBA teams are able to give players 10-day contracts, providing an opportunity for the top D-Leaguers to show their stuff in front of a heavy scouting presence. It also helps get the wheels moving a month out from the NBA trade deadline. Every D-League team participates and gets two games each, with Net Rating serving as a tiebreaker for the 2-0 victors. The 905 went 0-2 this season but showed quite well and turned their season around soon after.
The last five showcases have taken place in California or Nevada and included just a single court, and Howard-Cooper reports that the league wants to expand the showcase in both size and market. With the league expanding to 22 teams for 2016-17, the former, in particular, is important. The one potential issue with Toronto (or Mississauga) that made need some massaging is temporary work Visas for so many players, but considering that didn’t prove an issue during the 905’s inaugural season, it’s probably not a major concern here.
This would be a pretty big deal for the 905 in just their second season, and a nice nod for the organization a year after hosting the NBA All-Star Game.
